There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense. I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA's charade. Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA's motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene.

If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA's process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and - once and for all - put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart says, there is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?

From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA's improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA's own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process. USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers' expense.

For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today. The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It's an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It's just not right.

USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart.

Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet."

I for one hope this is the end of this....

"A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye."Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

What I don't understand is that a guilty verdict after the trial is no worse than a guilty verdict before, unless the "during trial" stands to do further untold damage to Lance personally. The first question I asked myself was what did Armstrong's team have to hide?.When you are of the likes of LA as an individual and a competitor at anything in life, surely you do not relinquish everything you've fought so hard for so easily after such a vigorous defence up until this point. I've read the statement, but I just don't see whats happened. As for his cancer work, sure, OK, but he's already tarnished LiveStrong's reputation as well with having blurred those boundaries a long time ago.

He's clearly seeing that rushing out of the trenches and knowingly being shot is going to be the best way to protect his legacy. His statement shows a lot of disdain for USADA and that will stick. He doesn't have to worry about the rest of it because his place in history is assured... it will be a while before a clean or dirty rider takes 7 TdFs...

I think that this is a brilliant tactic from Armstrong and it will call the USADA's bluff and highlight their lack of jurisdiction in stripping his titles. Refusing to participate in the process makes it seem even more of a witch hunt too I think. This move will have been designed to look good, and reinforces his previously stated position of being tired of and unwilling to keep fighting the allegations, whilst still giving him the wriggle room to deny all charges. He is treating the USADA with contempt, and I think this will work in his favour...

The 2nd Womble wrote:What I don't understand is that a guilty verdict after the trial is no worse than a guilty verdict before, unless the "during trial" stands to do further untold damage to Lance personally. The first question I asked myself was what did Armstrong's team have to hide?.When you are of the likes of LA as an individual and a competitor at anything in life, surely you do not relinquish everything you've fought so hard for so easily after such a vigorous defence up until this point.

There's been no rigorous defence, there's only been a rigorous attempt at avoiding the need to provide a defence, and a rigorous attempt at avoiding the evidence being heard.

Crittski wrote:I think that this is a brilliant tactic from Armstrong and it will call the USADA's bluff and highlight their lack of jurisdiction in stripping his titles. Refusing to participate in the process makes it seem even more of a witch hunt too I think. This move will have been designed to look good, and reinforces his previously stated position of being tired of and unwilling to keep fighting the allegations, whilst still giving him the wriggle room to deny all charges. He is treating the USADA with contempt, and I think this will work in his favour...

In the way declaring yourself guilty at a trial when you know you might be convicted of something more serious is brilliant, thats my simpleton take. Refusing to take part can be read both ways.

How does accepting a lifetime ban work in his favour? He cant compete in any ITU/US sanctioned tri's now, is that right?

OK, so the USADA cannot revoke his TdF titles, but the UCI can. Whether they will, well..

roller wrote:There's been no rigorous defence, there's only been a rigorous attempt at avoiding the need to provide a defence, and a rigorous attempt at avoiding the evidence being heard.

Indeed.

For me this is an attempt to try stopping a lot more evidence and testimony entering the public domain. Apparently the USADA had 12 riders lined up to testify against LA many of whom have clear records. Until now there's really only been Landis and Hamilton on the record about such things, and they only did so having been pinged themselves.

As far as I’m concerned he has done the only thing he could do at this stage, and it will be interesting to see what attempts will be made to recover any prize moneys paid for his tour wins (possibly plus interest), and if these will then be paid to whomever they declare the winner of those TdF.

Good or Bad, he has already earned a place in history. As for the ban, seems it is all academic since he has retired anyway. One thing it might affect is his 'charity' work and the way the funds may (or may not) come in.

It probably IS an attempt to keep evidence out of the public domain, but he has a legitimate complaint - if Lance doesn't work or race under USADA jurisdiction, then they don't get to charge him. If he can't reasonably expect a fair hearing where justice is served, then he should not be forced to defend the charges. We call them Kangaroo Courts in Australia.

Xplora wrote:It probably IS an attempt to keep evidence out of the public domain, but he has a legitimate complaint - if Lance doesn't work or race under USADA jurisdiction, then they don't get to charge him. If he can't reasonably expect a fair hearing where justice is served, then he should not be forced to defend the charges. We call them Kangaroo Courts in Australia.

He is more than welcome to take the case to the CAS is if he is unhappy about jurisdiction....

Xplora wrote:It probably IS an attempt to keep evidence out of the public domain, but he has a legitimate complaint - if Lance doesn't work or race under USADA jurisdiction, then they don't get to charge him. If he can't reasonably expect a fair hearing where justice is served, then he should not be forced to defend the charges. We call them Kangaroo Courts in Australia.

I was under the impression that as a member of the US Postal team the USADA does have jurisdiction to investigate, but if so, it would appear to me that the USADA can investigate only for the period where he was a member of that team...

The 2nd Womble wrote:Cycling Central-"Lance Armstrong has accepted his life ban and will lose all his Tour de France titles. More to come soon."

I understand there is a character limit on twitter but that (and the headlines all the news sites are going with) is very misleading IMO, he hasn't accepted a life ban, he has just said he won't fight the charges that may lead to a life ban. And it's not a matter of he WILL lose the titles, he MAY lose them.

EDIT: wanted to clarify the above statement was Cycling Central's, not the womble's.

When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments- Elizabeth West.